1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to providing Microsoft Distributed Scan Management (DSM) services to networked scanners.
2. Discussion of Related Art
DSM was introduced with the Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2 release. DSM integrates various devices (e.g., scanners, multi-function printers “MFP”, etc.) into a common environment such that system administrators may manage scanning services for large organizations. DSM provides an enterprise with a controlled scan environment for relatively easy enterprise wide scanning.
The DSM environment typically includes a directory service (i.e., Microsoft Active Directory), DSM scanners or MFPs that support Distributed Scan Processing (DSP), a Distributed Scan Device (DSD), and Scan Management Console (SMC). In this regard, network devices may interact with a Distributed Scan Server (DSS) to provide solutions for scanning and post processing of scan data. For example, a DSM scanner implements DSM (DSD and DSP) and interacts with the DSS and SMC to provide scanning in a Microsoft environment. The network devices use DSD and DSP compliant services to communicate with the DSS and the SMC. The DSD specification describes how scanning devices and services operate in a distributed scanning environment and specify the device control model. The DSP specification describes how the scanning devices, services, and post processing of scan data operate in the DSM environment via the administrator created “post scan processes” (PSPs).
PSPs are sets of instructions that are created by the system administrator for acquiring and processing images with a DSM scanner or MFP. Each PSP is identified by a name and includes destination and email information as well as a set of pre-defined scan settings, such as color, scanning resolution (dots per inch or “dpi”), and file format type (e.g., tiff, PDF, etc.). Each PSP also specifies whether scan settings may be overridden.
A problem exists, however, when a user wishes to employ certain types of scans and/or post-scanning processes that are not available via the PSPs. For example, the PSP may be delivered to the user when the user logs in to a particular scanner. That PSP may direct the scanner to scan an image at a certain resolution that the user does not wish to use. Because there is no manner presently available in which to change the settings of the PSP, the user is forced to use that resolution. Accordingly, there is a need to provide a user with the ability to change PSP setting when desired.